I received my Ranger barrel. I built the upper and shot it today in a lower with a WC flat spring and carbine buffer. i am a happy camper. The 130HHC WC load had just enough recoil to let you know that you are onto something good. The only components I have are SRP, Hornady 125 FMJ, FC formed brass, and CFEBLK. I worked up to 25.5 grains of powder and am wondering if I should try to work all the way up to 27 grains of powder without MSRP. The primers in all the fired shell cases look about the same, that is handloads and factory. What do you suggest?
the Hornady 125gr FMJ usually shoots pretty well at 2400-2450fps, no need to load it any hotter since it's just a range/training round
I acquired a RAR Ranch in 300 BO to swap barrels for the 300 Ham'r graciously supplied by WC. both the Ruger and WC barrels are 16" with what looks like medium contour and a threaded muzzle in std pitch for a 30 cal.. Life keeps interrupting my plans but I should have barrel swapped by next weekend and Ill post up some pics.
Here is the rifle with the WC barrel for reference
I received my Ranger barrel. I built the upper and shot it today in a lower with a WC flat spring and carbine buffer. i am a happy camper. The 130HHC WC load had just enough recoil to let you know that you are onto something good. The only components I have are SRP, Hornady 125 FMJ, FC formed brass, and CFEBLK. I worked up to 25.5 grains of powder and am wondering if I should try to work all the way up to 27 grains of powder without MSRP. The primers in all the fired shell cases look about the same, that is handloads and factory. What do you suggest?
the Hornady 125gr FMJ usually shoots pretty well at 2400-2450fps, no need to load it any hotter since it's just a range/training round
I've gone back and reviewed some of the posts with ballistics numbers from different length bbls and different rounds. Does anyone have numbers on the Lehigh 110gr CC round out of an 11.3" and/or 8" bbl? I've got an 11.3 I'm getting ready to set up and I will probably get an 8" bbl when they are back in stock to swap out my 8" blk and have both chambered in 300 HAM'R. I am thinking of going with this 110 Lehigh round and curious how it performs out of the shorter bbls.
I run the 110gr Lehigh's in my 11.3in home defense gun. Your post reminded me that I need to get some chrono data for the load. I did an abbreviated load development this Spring using only 12 rounds. Although the data from WC lists 29.4gr of CFE BLK as MAX LOAD I settled on 28.0gr. I'm guestimating that it's going around 2300fps, but I will confirm that and report back after my next range trip.
That is awesome. Thank you. I hope to have my 11.3" done soon and get it to the range.
I forgot the 110 Lehigh loads ay Home, but I thought the 110 Varmagedon loads might serve as a good point of reference for you.
11.3" barrel w/ Dead Air Nomad-30 28.3gr CFK BLK Lot#10 Starline brass CCI 41
I'd subtract ~40fps if shooting unsuppressed, thus ~2370fps. The abbreviated load development I did earlier this year with the 110 Lehigh showed a nice accuracy node from 27.7gr - 28.3gr of this same Lot# of CFE BLK.
TY, I have done that prior to expanding my search to this forum members vast personal experiences that may not necessarily follow published numbers. I prefer well rounded approaches on in formation gathering.
I've gone back and reviewed some of the posts with ballistics numbers from different length bbls and different rounds. Does anyone have numbers on the Lehigh 110gr CC round out of an 11.3" and/or 8" bbl? I've got an 11.3 I'm getting ready to set up and I will probably get an 8" bbl when they are back in stock to swap out my 8" blk and have both chambered in 300 HAM'R. I am thinking of going with this 110 Lehigh round and curious how it performs out of the shorter bbls.
I run the 110gr Lehigh's in my 11.3in home defense gun. Your post reminded me that I need to get some chrono data for the load. I did an abbreviated load development this Spring using only 12 rounds. Although the data from WC lists 29.4gr of CFE BLK as MAX LOAD I settled on 28.0gr. I'm guestimating that it's going around 2300fps, but I will confirm that and report back after my next range trip.
That is awesome. Thank you. I hope to have my 11.3" done soon and get it to the range.
I forgot the 110 Lehigh loads ay Home, but I thought the 110 Varmagedon loads might serve as a good point of reference for you.
11.3" barrel w/ Dead Air Nomad-30 28.3gr CFK BLK Lot#10 Starline brass CCI 41
I'd subtract ~40fps if shooting unsuppressed, thus ~2370fps. The abbreviated load development I did earlier this year with the 110 Lehigh showed a nice accuracy node from 27.7gr - 28.3gr of this same Lot# of CFE BLK.
Thank you. I need to get mine put together and get it out.
I've been lurking on this thread since the first post, trying to gather information on projectiles / load data for this cartridge. The wealth of information has been awesome, thank you all. I've been actively shooting 300 HAM'R since the first barrels, dies, and chamber gauges were on the Wilson website. I am a competition shooter (3 gun heavy metal, Uspsa Multi Gun, IDPA, USPSA.....) this cartridge certainly peaked my interest in the begining. After actually using it in a few competitions (Outlaw Matches), I was kinda blown away. Honestly couldn't believe the speed and accuracy I was making hits @25- 300yds+ ( Red dot/3x magnifier and 1-6x LPVO) being a .308 WIN AR-10 platform shooter. 1st rnd hits unconventional positions, yea Im sold. And the thump on steel was still there. I also work in a ballistic lab and can verify not only the the intrinsic accuracy (to a certain degree) but also ballistic gel testing as to the merits (done off the clock) for this cartridge and various projectiles . I really respect and am thankfull for all the work and data (off the bat) that was available to the public for this cartridge on initial release. Thats something very rare in this industry, let alone really useable real world gun data that works.
Thank you Mr. Wilson. (From, some lab-rat at the best copper bullet company )
Ps.. Vice grips work great taking the tips out on the 130s , grab .100-.200 ish close to the new meplat. Back and forth no twist slow like fashion .
I've been lurking on this thread since the first post, trying to gather information on projectiles / load data for this cartridge. The wealth of information has been awesome, thank you all. I've been actively shooting 300 HAM'R since the first barrels, dies, and chamber gauges were on the Wilson website. I am a competition shooter (3 gun heavy metal, Uspsa Multi Gun, IDPA, USPSA.....) this cartridge certainly peaked my interest in the begining. After actually using it in a few competitions (Outlaw Matches), I was kinda blown away. Honestly couldn't believe the speed and accuracy I was making hits @25- 300yds+ ( Red dot/3x magnifier and 1-6x LPVO) being a .308 WIN AR-10 platform shooter. 1st rnd hits unconventional positions, yea Im sold. And the thump on steel was still there. I also work in a ballistic lab and can verify not only the the intrinsic accuracy (to a certain degree) but also ballistic gel testing as to the merits (done off the clock) for this cartridge and various projectiles . I really respect and am thankfull for all the work and data (off the bat) that was available to the public for this cartridge on initial release. Thats something very rare in this industry, let alone really useable real world gun data that works.
Thank you Mr. Wilson. (From, some lab-rat at the best copper bullet company )
Ps.. Vice grips work great taking the tips out on the 130s , grab .100-.200 ish close to the new meplat. Back and forth no twist slow like fashion .
I just relearned a hard lesson on max case capacity. New, shipped last week WC nickel brass.
One of my 16” guns was having sticky extraction of live rounds with 110 controlled chaos loaded to my standard 2.250” COAL. I’d settled on that length after getting great results with 135gr FTX, 125gr TNT & ProHunters, & 110gr VMax
I measured some WC factory 110 CC loads and they are in the 2.241” area so I lowered my seating stem on my FTX die to 2.245”. My new test dummy round didn’t have any of the sticky extraction issues so I pumped out 50 live rounds. When I was boxing them up to head to the range I noticed something odd with them & I’m glad I took a minute to check.
At 29.1 to 29.2gr of CFEBLK lot #8, 42 of my 50 cases bulged from the over compressed loads & won’t drop into the cartridge gauge.
Rookie move. I am so thankful that I hadn’t set these up on the 1050 and just started pulling the handle like they were.
I just relearned a hard lesson on max case capacity. New, shipped last week WC nickel brass.
One of my 16” guns was having sticky extraction of live rounds with 110 controlled chaos loaded to my standard 2.250” COAL. I’d settled on that length after getting great results with 135gr FTX, 125gr TNT & ProHunters, & 110gr VMax
I measured some WC factory 110 CC loads and they are in the 2.241” area so I lowered my seating stem on my FTX die to 2.245”. My new test dummy round didn’t have any of the sticky extraction issues so I pumped out 50 live rounds. When I was boxing them up to head to the range I noticed something odd with them & I’m glad I took a minute to check.
At 29.1 to 29.2gr of CFEBLK lot #8, 42 of my 50 cases bulged from the over compressed loads & won’t drop into the cartridge gauge.
Rookie move. I am so thankful that I hadn’t set these up on the 1050 and just started pulling the handle like they were.
Strange, I haven't seen this issue???
I just loaded a batch of 110gr CC with a OAL of 2.255" over 29gr CFEBLK lot #8 with no issues and wouldn't think seating down to 2.245" would cause this
FYI: We load the 110gr CC over Shooters World SOCOM for our factory loads.
I’d like think I would have felt the difference when seating right away but I just set up a new bench with quick change plates and raised the press 4” so I’m still getting use to the new feel.
I noticed a hump below the shoulder on a couple when boxing them up so I dropped them in the gauge. Some hang up higher and some hang up lower. I tore down 10 of them so far but the groups I ran through the FC die will probably be a pain to tear down with a hammer puller.
I don’t know if the problem was one factor in either the extra .02 gn, moving to a new batch of plated cases, or dropping the .005”, or if it was caused by a combination of all.
I knew 29.0 @ 2.250” was good on my primary rifle but they were being a pain in my 1/13 twist. Being lazy and not wanting to redial the powder dump from my Vmax load of 29.2gn came back to haunt me. It’ll cost me 5x as much time to tear down and try to salvage components and it would have to just reset it to 29.0gn to begin with. Haste is not my friend
I’d like think I would have felt the difference when seating right away but I just set up a new bench with quick change plates and raised the press 4” so I’m still getting use to the new feel.
I noticed a hump below the shoulder on a couple when boxing them up so I dropped them in the gauge. Some hang up higher and some hang up lower. I tore down 10 of them so far but the groups I ran through the FC die will probably be a pain to tear down with a hammer puller.
I don’t know if the problem was one factor in either the extra .02 gn, moving to a new batch of plated cases, or dropping the .005”, or if it was caused by a combination of all.
I knew 29.0 @ 2.250” was good on my primary rifle but they were being a pain in my 1/13 twist. Being lazy and not wanting to redial the powder dump from my Vmax load of 29.2gn came back to haunt me. It’ll cost me 5x as much time to tear down and try to salvage components and it would have to just reset it to 29.0gn to begin with. Haste is not my friend
Are you sure the roll crimp shoulder inside the seating die isn't pushing the neck down?
I’d like think I would have felt the difference when seating right away but I just set up a new bench with quick change plates and raised the press 4” so I’m still getting use to the new feel.
I noticed a hump below the shoulder on a couple when boxing them up so I dropped them in the gauge. Some hang up higher and some hang up lower. I tore down 10 of them so far but the groups I ran through the FC die will probably be a pain to tear down with a hammer puller.
I don’t know if the problem was one factor in either the extra .02 gn, moving to a new batch of plated cases, or dropping the .005”, or if it was caused by a combination of all.
I knew 29.0 @ 2.250” was good on my primary rifle but they were being a pain in my 1/13 twist. Being lazy and not wanting to redial the powder dump from my Vmax load of 29.2gn came back to haunt me. It’ll cost me 5x as much time to tear down and try to salvage components and it would have to just reset it to 29.0gn to begin with. Haste is not my friend
Are you sure the roll crimp shoulder inside the seating die isn't pushing the neck down?
100% sure It's backed out & I use a FC die on semi autos.
I tore down 10 rounds & all the empty cases hung up in the case gauge at different lengths. I pulled the stem & decapper out of the sizing die & ran them through & after that they plunked the case gauge fine. Dropped the charge to 29.0gn & seated the pull down bullets with the same original seating die with no adjustments. All 10 passed the case gauge.
All of the cases that were resized have straight lines running in the direction of from the base to shoulder and all the way around the circumference after resizing. They were all relubed and the sizing die was cleaned with air & alcohol prior to resizing. RCBS Scale is checked with Lyman check weights when it's turned on. I size all new brass before loading and when I checked the reloaded rounds against the others in the failed cartridge box those in the fail box have only minor indication of being ran through the sizer.
All I can come up with is that cutting that 0.010" off your COAL to make it work in my picky barrel and then adding the 0.01-0.02gn of powder was just too much for the longer 110gn CC projectiles and the case bulged.
I know I probably shouldn't but I'm thinking about saving 10 of the failed rounds to see if I get brave enough to run them through the sizer without tearing them down and shoot them if they pass the case gauge afterward. If I do that Im going to wait until after my trip and shoot them with a day optic on just in case something goes real bad. I'm not getting pressure signs at 2.250" and 29.0gn but I will have to see how 2.245" COAL changes that.
I missed the 1st 3 shots having the chrono out of alignment after switching guns. My primary rifle is shooting the rebuilt 29.0gn 2.245" loads via Labradar measurements as:
Does there happen to be an ETA on 8” and 11.3” barrel availability? Also, does anyone run these shorter barrels? It seems like most people here are running the 16” version. I had my mind all but made up to run an 8” BLK barrel for this build then ran across the HAM’R and it completely threw a wrench in my plan.
I am not asking anyone to compare the two rounds as that has been done ad nauseam, I am just more curious of real world performance of the HAM’R out of the shorter barrel offerings? Thank you!